Electronic video poker games have been prevalent in gaming casinos for many years. The basic game of video poker involves a game of five card draw. Using a single deck of cards, the player is dealt an initial five card hand. The player selects which of the initial five cards the player wishes to hold and the unheld cards are then discarded. Using the same starting deck of cards, replacement cards are dealt for the cards that were discarded. These five cards comprise the player's final five card hand and this final hand is analyzed based on poker hand ranking. If the player has achieved at least a pair of Jacks or better, the player wins with the amount of the player's winnings determined based on the type of poker hand achieved and the amount of the player's wager.
Video poker is generally played on an electronic video gaming machine that uses a video screen display to show the cards to the player. Computer controls carried on a printed circuit board mounted on the interior of the gaming machine electronically shuffle the deck of cards, activate the dealing sequence in response to input by a player, cause the initial five cards to be displayed on the video screen display, deal replacement cards after the player has selected which cards to hold and discard and analyze the final five card hand to determine winning and losing hands. The computer controls also effect payouts to the player based on the amount of the player's wager and the poker hand ranking of the final five card hand.
The electronic video poker gaming machine is designed to replicate the play of a hand of poker. Typically, the player is not playing against any other players or against a dealer's hand; the player is simply attempting to achieve the highest ranking poker hand possible from the cards displayed to the player. The higher the poker hand achieved by the player, the greater the player's winnings based on the number of coins, tokens or credits wagered by the player. Typically, a payout schedule is posted on the gaming machine to advise the player of the payoffs available for certain winning card combinations.
The original classic draw poker machines were then modified to use jokers as wild cards or to use deuces (or even other cards) as wild cards. "Joker's Wild" and "Deuces Wild" draw poker still display to the player a single five card hand and allow the player to discard unwanted cards and receive replacement cards. The payout table is modified to recognize the differing odds for achieving various poker hands when wild cards are involved.
Players have become bored with traditional video draw poker and gaming casino operators are desirous of having different types of electronic video poker games to offer to the players. There is a need to provide new and interesting electronic video poker games that attract players and that can increase the volume of wagering in each gaming machine.
Also, as players become more sophisticated regarding electronic video poker gaming machines, players prefer to play those poker machines that have pay tables with higher payouts for the types of poker hand rankings that are achievable. There is a need for new video poker gaming machines that are capable of encouraging a high volume of play while at the same time offering what the players consider to be good pay tables.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and interesting form of video poker which will attract players and increase the number of hands that can be played in a given time period while at the same time offering the player a good pay table.
It is a feature of the present invention to offer the player an opportunity to return to his initial five card hand after he has completed the draw step, and replay these first five cards and obtain a new draw of replacement cards.
It is an advantage of the present invention that a player will be attracted to a video poker game in which the player can replay his starting hand. A player has a better chance to obtain high ranking poker hands when the player is provided with a good starting hand. Thus, offering the player a chance to replay a good starting hand will encourage additional play of the game. More hands in a given time period can be played since replaying the initial five card deal takes less time than dealing a completely new five card hand.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description.